


A Family Portrait

by reveris



Series: Boy Meets Evil [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Character Study, Dysfunctional Family, Elidibus is a brother and a mom, Family Bonding, Gen, Mentioned Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:21:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24979882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reveris/pseuds/reveris
Summary: An older brother muses on his younger sibling's new relationship.
Relationships: Azem & Elidibus (Final Fantasy XIV), Azem/Solus zos Galvus | Emet-Selch
Series: Boy Meets Evil [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1808143
Kudos: 22





	A Family Portrait

**Author's Note:**

  * For [casimirs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/casimirs/gifts).



> I can't believe I actually wrote something and posted it here but YOLO

You have been acting...strange recently.

Not a bad strange - there is a certain spring in your step, a consistency in your mood, sometimes he catches you humming, your smiles more genuine - you are happy. He is happy that you are happy. He is just...simply concerned, he supposes, as to how this came about. Your “happy” state is usually debatable, sometimes lasting for no longer than a few days but this has been months, and Elidibus entertains the thought of doing a mental calculation of when it began. 

Of course, he could simply be the calm, rational, man that he is, and not an irrational overprotective mother hen and simply ask his capricious younger sibling. 

Which is what he decides to do...in his own way, when he sees you finally arriving . Again with a silly grin on your face and a lightness to your step as if you are quite literally walking on a cloud.

“You are late.” He states, as opposed to an actual question, his voice matter-of-factly, a stern look turned towards you.

That was another strange aspect of your behavior, compared to your usual indolent attitude towards everything else, when it came to him, you were always punctual, sometimes even enthusiastically early for any occasion where the two of you could meet up...the interactions between the two of you and the time spent as much of a solace...a treasure to him - as it was to you, he suspects. 

Therefore it makes him feel something inexplicable and unfamiliar, almost melancholic in nature, for this routine to be disrupted, even in subtle ways...like a discordant tone in an otherwise familiar song. 

“And you’re looking a bit gloomy today.” You say instead, he would think you are deflecting him if it is not for the genuine look of concern in your eyes, softening his countenance as you place a hand on his. “Tell me what’s wrong, Brother.”

“Nothing,” He clears his throat, patting the back of your hand with his free one in reassurance “I am simply...”

Worried about you. Glad to see you happy but couldn’t feel relieved. Worried you would get hurt again. Worried he wouldn’t find out until it’s too late again because you didn’t want to burden him.

“...curious why you are late.” He says instead with a sigh.

“I was with someone.” There was that silly grin again and he doesn’t know why he feels...lonely? No, not quite. Melancholic? Hmm...not quite that either.

“Not going to ask who?” You chuckle, as you say at the edge of his table and leaned forward. “There’s the furrow in your brow again, brother dearest.”

He considers the question but dismisses it immediately with a shake of his head. Your “relationships” never last, your longest being your friendship with your childhood friend - Hythlodaeus, if he recalls correctly - from before your parents married. And judging from your tone you likely meant romantic entanglements - those last even shorter for you from what he observed in the past. 

He did not understand why you go through the hassle - none of them are worthy of your time - you deserve someone who could treat you right, who would put your best interest at heart and put his mind at ease that they would never allow you to hurt or be disappointed again. Uncharacteristic of him, some may say. The “Unreachable Moon” he hears people refer to him, makes a challenge out of trying to make him care but he has no time for frivolous entanglements or romantic idealism. He had a duty - a worthy goal he strived towards and in the face of that he knew he could not always watch out for his younger sibling regardless of how much he desired to. But still he does what he can. To this one person who offered him the unconditional love of family and he to you in return.

“Just so you know I was with my darling Hades.” You offer the answer anyway and he freezes. Was that not the boy he warned you about when he told you about the awkward position of having been confessed to by someone he could respect - almost treated like a friend.

He knew not how to address his question without offending your judgement or infantilizing you. The knowledge that your sibling could be romantically entangled with someone who not so long ago claimed to have... _ feelings _ for him brings an unpleasant taste to his mouth. Not because he was jealous but because he was concerned that the interloper was using you to  _ replace _ him and would end up  _ hurting _ you. - he even warned you as much before. As much as a shame it would be to lose such a talent for his future plans, but Elidibus would sooner erase a potential pawn than see  _ you _ hurt.

“...I see.” He simply says, closing his book to really look at you. You truly do look happier than he has ever seen...there was a glow to your smile he has not seen in a very long time. He could not help but frown at your outfit, however. Even without being an expert of fashion, he can tell that didn’t fit as it should and usually because of your tall frame, you required your clothes to be tailored. So it should fit your frame...unless their tailor was slacking. A foolish move on their part given how well known it was that he expected nothing less than perfection. So with a sigh, he got up from his seat, taking a clip from his table (a crude method but it will do) and stated, “Turn around, Persephone.” 

You gave him a quizzical raise of your eyebrow but did as he asked nonetheless, and he moved towards you to try to adjust your clothing from the back - you only needed to appear presentable from the front in the portrait they were about to take, after all. However as he drew closer he there is a very distinct scent of tobacco, and he frowns.. 

“...I thought I told you that smoking is a bad habit?” He scolded

“Huh...? Oh, that’s not me. The shirt belongs to my darling, so it must have carried his scent. Sorry, I was so in a rush to make our appointment, I had to borrow his clothes.”

He didn’t know how to feel. It was a mixture of emotions - on one hand he was relieved you still placed importance in your promise to him, on the other there was the creeping realization that you had spent the night with the interloper and most likely... No, he did not need the mental image of his precious sibling’s nightly activities in his head but he felt another burst of resentment towards the other man - still suspicious of his motives. 

Instead of thinking he continued to work and adjust the shirt to be more fitting towards your tall, slender frame. His assisting you when you were younger - and his mother before that - had not been in vain when it comes to making impromptu adjustments with clothes.

“...Do you love him?” 

“Why,  _ Polly _ . Are you jealous?” 

The withering look he shot you should be enough to tell you he didn’t need your jokes.

“...Yes. And I know. I know what you said. But he’s different...He loves me. He treats me well, he... _ indulges _ me. More than he should.” You chuckle and then turn to wrap your arms around his shoulder, “But don’t you worry, brother dearest. Both of you are important - an irreplaceable existence for me.”

“And if you have to choose between us?”

“Why would I have to choose?” 

“Hypothetically, if say, there was a need to sacrifice one of us - him or myself, who would you choose?”

“That’s a pretty specific fucked up scenario you’re imagining there.”

He pulls away first to stud your face, hands resting on the side of your arms, “Answer the question, please.”

“ Neither.” Your answer is immediate, without hesitation, “I would sooner die than see either of you get hurt.”

“...and if i were the one to hurt your...if I were to harm him?” 

The room went quiet, you didn’t need to say anything but the look in your eye told him everything he needed to know - that was your bottom line. Knowing your character as he does, he has no doubt you would still support him - your loyalty would be unquestionable, and the bonds of blood, your familial bond forged through the trials of your childhood between the two of you unbreakable. He would like to believe that you might even forgive him in time, but he was realistic enough to know that in your personal relationship there will forever be an uncrossable rift between the two of you should he move against the man you believe yourself to be in love with .

It made him feel a sense of bitterness, and fuels even more resentment towards the other man.

“...I see. Then what if it were the reverse? What if he plans to do something against me?” 

“Apollo,  _ please _ . He would  _ never _ . Hades is… Hades is more like you than you think - he is kind, awkward at times but so very sweet and he  _ loves me _ . Perhaps even better than you do because he does not ask me depressing hypothetical questions that  _ can’t possibly happen _ .”

That you see someone as being  _ better _ than him, when you used to see him as your sun... _ it stung _ . He remembers someone once teasing him that you had a brother complex and while he dismissed it aloud in respect to you, truthfully felt a sense of pride that you loved him so much, and he too dotes you in return, as much as he is able to without pointing you as a weakness but making it clear that while you were not his  _ first _ priority; your safety, your happiness was  _ his _ bottom line.

In a rare display - most uncharacteristic to those who only knew his indifferent side - he pulls you back into his embrace, wrapping his arms so tight as if he were younger again and found you in that abandoned storage room after thinking you were lost forever. He feels like that again, as if he was losing you, and even though you were so close, it feels like you were going to go so far away from him - taken by  _ that unworthy interloper _ .

“Polly…” You whisper your nickname for him again, less teasing, more softly and soothing this time, as you pat his back “I’m not going anywhere, you don’t need to worry - just think of it as if you will soon gain another sibling.”

“......” It took all his self control not to wince or grimace at the scenario you casually suggested. He refrains from voicing his doubts or denial, holding you tightly once more, allowing himself time to put his impassive mask back into place, before he lets go of you with a sigh. “...I believe we’ve delayed enough. Let’s not keep the photographer waiting.” 

He adjusts his glasses and makes his way out of his office, he does not look back, but he knows from your footsteps that you are following him out, catching up to walk by his side and that’s enough to still bring him a small sense of relief.

Despite his worries, regardless of how things might turn out, at the very least, for the moment, you are still with him. And he is with you.


End file.
